Steepest part of the AT

[tdoczi]

Fast forward to now and I have about 262 miles left to finish, most of it in ME (ME 4 Rangeley to Katahdin). From my personal observations/experiences the couple of climbs that stand out in my mind are NOBO up South Kinsman and NOBO up Mahoosuc Arm...those were both brutal for me.

I also appreciate the posts by Guthook that provide the actual data on the steepest climbs.

i was surprised the two climbs you mentioned werent higher on his list. i can only guess its because the steep parts arent long enough/a big enough vertical gain to register high with the way he set it up.

[stephanD]

As a New Yorker, I would go for the Agony Grind in Sterling Forest NY. a 90 degree decent to NY 17, if you are a nobo.

[tdoczi]

a 90 degree decent.

umm, nothing anywhere on the trail is 90 degrees

[sadlowskiadam]

Hello Whiteblaze friends! Just got back from hiking the Presidential Range and Katahdin in early September. Fantastic weather all 6 days of my trip and awsome pictures. My question is this: I have hiked all the AT from Springer to Damascus and now from NH 302 at Crawford Notch to Pinkham Notch as well as the AT trail up Katahdin. Does anyone know where the steepest part of the AT is? I thought it was the south side of Roan Mountain but am now thinking it must be either Katahdin itself, going up Webster Cliffs or coming off Mount Madison toward Pinkham. Are there any places steeper than those I have mentioned? Thanks, Jay B.

My vote goes to either the middle 3 miles of Mt. Katahdin or Jacob's Ladder in North Carolina. I still have nightmares about Jacob's Ladder because I hike it in a flash flood and mud slide.

[Berserker]

i was surprised the two climbs you mentioned werent higher on his list. i can only guess its because the steep parts arent long enough/a big enough vertical gain to register high with the way he set it up.

Yeah, I had to think back and decide if I was I having a bad day or something. Regardless of if it was perception or whatever, Mahoosuc Arm and South Kinsman are in the original top 25 (#10 and #18 respectively) of the Guthook list that's based on 1 mile segments of the trail. So yeah they aren't top 5, but their ranking proves they're still pretty tough compared to the rest of the AT.

I also forgot to mention Moody Mountain, which made #15 in the original list. This climb not only sucks, but there's no reward at the end. You just take a beating to a tree covered summit, walk across the top, and then go right back down the other side. I remember passing a bunch of day hikers going South, and I finally commented to one of them that it must be a popular section of the trail. The guy commented back that he was a thru slack packing this piece, and so were most of the rest of the hikers I saw that day. So yeah, a bunch of thrus slack packing Moody confirms that it sucks, because why slack pack something when you are a thru up in ME and almost done.

[peakbagger]

Moody does have a view to the south from the AT along the short flat spot near the south summit just before the descent to the east starts. Hall Mountain has even fewer views except the "gun sight". There is a summit canister on Hall right on the north corridor line. Its completely covered with spruce/fir with no view.

The south corridor boundary on Moody has very nice south facing ledge but unless it is approached from the correct direction its has cliffs below it.

By the way the Sawyer brook valley just south of the picnic table and campsite next to the brook is the last patch of stinging nettles I have seen on the AT. I always thought they ended in VT. I found out while wearing shorts one day

The AT used to skip Hall, Moody, Blue and Bemis up until the nineteen fifties (possibly until the seventies).

[Berserker]

Moody does have a view to the south from the AT along the short flat spot near the south summit just before the descent to the east starts.

You're right, I stand corrected. For the amount of work to get up there, and then having to go right back down it's definitely not worth the view though.

[egilbe]

Moody mountain. I bonked climbing it. One of three times I've been completely gassed while hiking. I'd hike about 30 feet and flop down on my back for 10 minutes. Eat something, drink some water. Stagger another 30 feet up the trail. Rinse, repeat. Stopped at that flat spot that peakbagger mentioned for about half an hour. Good place to take in the views and talk to passing sobos.

[Slo-go'en]

Having just done some of the Mahoosucs and Franconia notch to Crawford Notch, I can say there are a lot of insanely steep sections of trial all through here. Going up and down Garfield has to be in the top 10.

[Kerosene]

Yep, South Kinsman is my vote for toughest climb, and generally I don't mind climbing.

I had started NOBO from Glencliff on Saturday afternoon and reached Beaver Brook Shelter just as the sun was setting in September 2006 after waiting out a T-storm before the summit. The next day dawned bright and sunny and I thought I could easily make it to the Lonesome Lake Hut, or at least somewhere on the north side of South Kinsman. By the time I reached Eliza Brook Shelter after a grueling afternoon of stepping on or around tree roots and little rocks for 7 miles, I had to make the decision to stay for the night or push on. The guidebook noted the climb, but I had 4 hours of light left and I thought I'd head out after a good rest.

I actually did start again, but after hitting a muddy patch with wobbly legs I decided to go back and rest up. The next morning, bright and bushy tailed, I hit the base of South Kinsman and started to climb...and climb...and climb, hand over hand in many places with my useless trekking poles hanging from my wrists (took a while to figure out that I should just pack them away). It was exhausting, even though I was rested. I have a picture someone took of me at the top and my T-shirt is totally soaked on nice fall morning.

Comparatively, the slog out of Franconia Notch up to Liberty Tentsites that afternoon was a piece of cake. Yes, Katahdin was a good climb, but I was carrying minimal weight, I had gloves on, and it was exciting and fun to be so close to finishing a 41-year odyssey.

[Kerosene]

Going up and down Garfield has to be in the top 10.

The NOBO climb up Garfield was okay, but I was really glad that the rocks were dry going down Garfield. I have no idea how someone could go down that slide in the wet.

[rocketsocks]

That which sends ya home

[sloetoe]

That which sends ya home

It's hilarious to see this thread so enthusiastically (grimly?!? "Yipes!") re-visited.

I can tell you that 40 years after my AT through-hike, and 16 years after having done Killington-Pinkham with my (8 year old) twin boys, and then 14 years after going Cohos-->Pinkham-->Katahdin with them, the memories don't diminish in the least, on the climbs named in this thread. HOLY COW, no -- not in the least.

Moody, S. Kinsman, (SOBO) Beaverbrook..... Yep! Still send shivers!

AND still happy to have done them.

AND would not hesitate to repeat. (And, have!)

Stuff worth the doin' is worth the doin'.

BE HUGELY WELL.
sloetoe
GA→ME'79

[sloetoe]

Actually, if you click on my "Images" button, the one pick there is of that flat spot mentioned in the thread, with me just below, and my kids leaning over...
Cracks me up...!

[rocketsocks]

Actually, if you click on my "Images" button, the one pick there is of that flat spot mentioned in the thread, with me just below, and my kids leaning over...
Cracks me up...!

that Lincoln log wouldn’t send me home either, nope, I’d prolly be more the boring up on top of the mountain flat spot somewhere that’d have me scratchin’ my head. Nice photo Sloetoe.

[egilbe]

I had to reread this thread after hiking the Wildcats yesterday. Completely wiped out by the ascents. Carter Moriah range can be for another day. I'm noticing a pattern with my steep hikes. They are wet. Rained Thursday night be fore we did Wildcat E. Did Mahoosuc Notch and Arn in the midst of the remnants of Hurricane Harvey. Hiked Katahdin the day after 7 inches of rain fell. Thoreau spring was a geyser. Moody and Hall mountains we're unseasonably warm. Old Blue bonked me out for some reason.

[tdoczi]

I had to reread this thread after hiking the Wildcats yesterday. Completely wiped out by the ascents. Carter Moriah range can be for another day. I'm noticing a pattern with my steep hikes. They are wet. Rained Thursday night be fore we did Wildcat E. Did Mahoosuc Notch and Arn in the midst of the remnants of Hurricane Harvey. Hiked Katahdin the day after 7 inches of rain fell. Thoreau spring was a geyser. Moody and Hall mountains we're unseasonably warm. Old Blue bonked me out for some reason.

wildcat A does top guthook's list. and ive always thought that, though not very high on said list, the drop into carter notch is just as nuts. i'll never forget the sight of carter notch hut basically sitting directly below at the bottom of what seemed like a straight drop. i bet one could base jump off the top and land on the roof.

[egilbe]

I posted this pic on Facebook and someone commented it would be a good plave to fly a wingsuit

F40E1321-97BA-498C-9CB6-D7C3FCF0AB78.jpeg

[TwoSpirits]

This thread makes me doubt if I will ever complete the whole trail. At 55, I'm sure not willing to say that I'm getting too old -- but at 55, I'm sure damn scared of heights!

[illabelle]

This thread makes me doubt if I will ever complete the whole trail. At 55, I'm sure not willing to say that I'm getting too old -- but at 55, I'm sure damn scared of heights!

I remember feeling that way. A few years ago we completed our first week in Maine, some near Andover, some near Stratton, a trip that included a couple of slackpack days. The next year we did Katahdin and a chunk of the HMW, as well as the hut-to-hut hike through the Whites. A lot of it was hard, but there weren't really any places that I recall where my fear of heights was triggered. Having done those, I'm not afraid anymore. I'm not so afraid of falling, and I'm not afraid of failing. Maybe some similar experiences would help you.

Yesterday I printed out Guthook's list on post 121 in this thread. I crossed out everything we've already done, and there are 27 of the 75 steepest half-mile segments left for us to do. They will be very hard, but I am confident that we will complete each one just as we've planned. I hope you find a way to build your confidence as well.